Marek's Momma: film

Showing posts with label film. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

INDEPENDENCIA - Official Trailer

Un Certain Regard, Official Selection, Cannes Film Festival 2009

Independencia
A Film by Raya Martin

Presented by Arte Cinema France, Cinematografica, Atopic, Razor Film, Volya Films
Fonds Sud Cinema, World Cinema Fund, Prince Claus Fund Global Film Initiative, Hubert Bals Fund,
Roadrunner Network

Script: Ramon Sarmiento and Raya Martin
Delegate Producers: Antoine Segovia, Christophe Gougeon
Producer: Arleen Cuevas
Co-Producers: Gerhard Meixner, Roman Paul, Denis Vaslin
Production Design: Digo Ricio
DOP: Jeanne Lapoirie
Assistant Director: Armi Cacanindin
Production manager: Rolly Palmes
Editor: Jay Halili
Sound: Arnel Labayo, Ronald de Asis
Music: Lutgardo Labad

Thursday, January 15, 2009

"AURORA" fights to be seen

'Aurora' fights to be seen
X marks the spot
By Rome Jorge, Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor
The Manila Times/Reel Views
Friday, January 16, 2009

Adolfo Alix Jr. is an independent director who has shown his artistic range. Donsol, his debut full length feature that was finalist for the Best Picture award at the 2006 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and won Special Jury Prizes at both the Asian Marine Film Festival in Japan and the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival in the US, and Kadin, a favorite at the 2007 Cinemalaya, were tranquil films of idyllic seaside and pastoral panoramic settings. On the other hand, Tambolista, finalist for Best Picture at the 2007 CinemaOne Originals, is a gritty urban survival drama shot in black and white.

In Aurora, he goes deep into the Philippine jungle into no-man’s land where renegade rebels have abandoned all ideology and turned to banditry.

“It’s also a departure from my earlier films because it’s a bit political. I’m always interested in doing something new,” Alix reveals.

Alix also explores an intriguing quandary: relying on your oppressor your very survival. In particular, he dares confront head-on a crime that happens to many female abduction victims which they themselves often hush and hide from even the most investigative reportage: rape.

The quandary and the criterion for artistry and depth in a film dealing with rape is to depict the act as it really is—a form of brutality—and not to inadvertently titillate viewers with gratuitous and superfluous sex-violence scenes or to de-emphasize its importance by demurring and glossing over it. In other words, a film should not turn on or desensitize but rather turn off men from hurting women. Does Aurora pass this criterion? Can it guarantee that no one in their right minds get the wrong ideas from the film?

“When I was thinking of how to do it, I decided it to be more realistic. I wanted to emphasize the brutality more than anything. The intention was to show that it dehumanized the character of Aurora,” Alix explains, adding “When she does something later, then people will understand. It justifies her actions.”

Alix attests, “If it was gratuitous, it wouldn’t have a place in this film. If it was, I would be the first person to cut it.”

However, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) recently classified Aurora as “Double X” for having been evaluated and rejected twice.

Even with an honest depiction of rape that is truly necessary to the narrative, such a movie would still raise another quandary: can we trust viewers above the age of 18—the same adults we have entrusted since the Third Republic of 1946 with voting, marriage and parenthood, internal combustion vehicles and firearms—with such a mature narrative? Or must authorities classify it as “X-Rated”—not fit for any adult to watch?

“I applied for an R-18 rating. For TV, you need censorship because it’s free; you have children watching. But for cinema the idea is classification. Adults can go see the movie by themselves. You can’t pre-judge for the person. He has his right and freedom to see a film he has chosen. The idea of prior restraint is what we are fighting,” he explains.

“Filipinos are mature enough to see films. When they see the films, I don’t think they will be titillated by the film with the way it was shot. You have a psychological problem if you are still titillated. If you find that it is brutal, then you got the meaning,” Alix believes.

“There was no genitalia exposure. The shot in contention is just 27 seconds,” notes the director.

“I am trying to understand why they gave the film a ‘Double X’ rating because I’ve seen some films approved that were merely titillating. It’s always a subjective idea—five people sitting down to watch a film,” he says.

Alix now turns to the office of the President to overturn the MTRCB’s classification. Other films whose classifications have been successfully appealed include Steven Spielberg’s Oscar Award-winning Schindler’s List.

“Since it is a democracy, I am willing to submit my film through that process,” Alix says. He declares that is not willing to reedit or cut away the scenes. “I believe in the integrity of the film,” he attests.

“The films is about a woman fighting oppression and now the film is being oppressed by an institution that is supposed to promote liberalism. The audience has choices,” he opines.

This is all new for Alix; he has never had any of his films classified as “X.” But for lead actress Rosanna Roces, this is all nothing new. She holds the record for having the most number of films successfully reclassified from “X” to “R-18” or restricted for 18-years old and above. Her body of work includes Carlos Siguion-Reyna’s critically acclaimed Ligaya Ang Itawag Mo Sa Akin (1997) and Chito S. Roño’s La Vida Rosa (2002) for which she won Gawad Urian’s Best Actress Award.

Alix reveals, “I was thinking of a project for Rosanna. She wanted to do an indie film. I told her, ‘We can do something different from what you did before.’ I looked at what concept would fit her. Then I remembered stories of women kidnapped in Mindanao. That inspired me.” He notes that the movie title and character name Aurora means “the first light of day”—apt for story on woman enduring brutality in the dark of tropical rainforest.

Cast members include: Angeli Bayani, Best Actress Award-winner at the 10th CineManila International Film Festival for Lav Diaz’s Melancholia (2008); Sid Lucero, Best Actor Award winner at the Gawad Urian and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival for Paolo Villaluna’s Selda (2008); and Kristofer King, critically acclaimed for performances in Mario O’Hara’s Babae Sa Breakwater (2003) and Brillante Mendoza’s Tirador (2007) and Serbis (2008).

Adolfo Alix’s upcoming projects are no less stellar. Manila, a two-part film to be released in the first quarter of this year, is an indie film that stars and is co-produced by Piolo Pascual. Raya Martin directs the first episode and Alix takes the helm for the second. Karera, already in post production, tells the story of a family that lives inside the racehorse track of Santa Ana, also stars Roces as well Jay Manalo who won the Best Actor Award at the 2003 Gawad Urian for Erik Matti’s Prosti. Kalayaan, set to start filming in late February, is about Filipino soldiers stationed in the remote yet hotly contested Spratly Islands.

CATCH THE SPECIAL SCREENING OF "AURORA" THIS MONDAY, JANUARY 19,
7:30 P.M. AT THE U.P. CINE ADARNA.

Lav Diaz' MELANCHOLIA at the UP Film Center

Start:	Jan 15, '09 04:00a
Location:	UP Cine Adarna (Film Center)

Lav Diaz' MELANCHOLIA (Grand Prize Winner, Premio Orizzonti, 65th Venice International Film Festival 2008) will be screened at UP Cine Adarna (Film Center), on Jan 24, Saturday, from 1-9pm.

Tickets at 100php.

Contact Kints: 0905.2404177 for details.

Beyond the Time Barrier
Review by Christoph Huber

Hollywood may have taught us that It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, but
Lav Diaz reminds us that the world is also sad sad sad sad. And if
that repeptition sounds crushing to you (whereas the one in the title
of Stanley Kramer's Hollywood film is just there to tickle), you are
on the right track: Inaugurated by the epic masterpiece Evolution of a
Filipino Family (Ebolusyon ng isang pamilyang pilipino, 2004), the
Filipino's director recent cycle of black-and-white video works, with
their seemingly unwieldy lengths - inbetween seven and eleven hours -
represent a unique achievment and ofer unique experiences in the
history of cinema. Their length is not an affectation, but a
necessity, in reaching for heights of expression that the conventional
(and commercial) "rules" of moviemaking deny. They demand (but also:
allow, for their durational strategy is ultimately liberating)
uncommon dedication and concentration by the viewer, whose patience is
rewarded with a physical experience of time and a stunning, singularly
concrete feeling about their spaces, emotions and characters unlike
almost anything else. The film's world starts to feel lived-in (and in
that sense, Diaz' penchant for unbroken marathon screenings of his
work is all the more understandable: bringing food and other stuff to
the cinema, you have to make the screening room something like your
living room: a lived-in place as well).

Which in a roundabout way, brings us to the ingeniously titled
Melancholia, (after all, already Hippocrates characterized as the
symptoms of melancholia "all fears and despondencies, if they last a
long time" - a perfect match for the director's temporal strategies.)
For Diaz' most recent film, the highlight of the Orrizonti section at
the 2008 Venice film festival, whose main prize it deservedly won, is
on the one hand a deeply moving seven-and-a- half-hour lament about
resistance against all odds following through on the now somewhat
familiar strategies of the filmmakers' recent work. On the other hand,
its remarkable structure and subtle revelations of layers, adopting a
(self-)critical stance (both in respect to its characters as well as
to itself - and both political as well as aesthetic) mark it as maybe
the boldest experiment yet in Diaz's daring reconception of
cinema-as-we- know it.
In the beginng Melancholia may seem linear and following the logic of
a conventional narrative - a tale of a prostitute, a pimp and a nun in
a small town in the Philippines, described with Diaz' characteristic
attention to details and rhythms of life, of perception and thought.
But in the first of two decisive breaks - roughly after a third,
respectively two thirds into the film - these carefully rendered lives
prove to be chimeras made up to deal with the pain of existence and
the throwbacks in the fight for freedom equality. From then on, sounds
and motives (not just visual ones) begin to dominate the flow: A woman
wailing unforgettably in the jungle, her sad ballad haunting the
proceedings, as the losses and crushed hopes of the protagonists
become ever clearer. Ever the commited filmmaker, Diaz not only
insists on the political dimension - for all its depression,
Melancholia is nothing less than a cri de coeur for continuing
revolution -, but also incorporates fascinating detours into the
situation of Filipino filmmaking (reminding one, for instance, of the
crucial Brocka subplot in Ebolusyon).

"Why is there so much sadness and too much madness in this world? Is
happiness just a concept? Is living just a process to measure man's
pain?", asked Diaz in his director's note accompanying the film's
description in the Venice Festival catalogue. The answers to the last
to questions seemingly remain ambivalent: the wounded world of
Melancholia may suggest desperation at times, but the effort of the
characters to struggle on - and the efforts of Diaz himnself, who from
what are nearly no-budget filmmaking circumstances, wrestles a
richness, both philosophical and artistic, that all those pricier
films daren't even dream of - also touches deeply, with a renewed
sense of hope and commitment that remains incorruptible even under the
most adverse of circumstances. Beyond the time barrier, Diaz'
filmmaking manages to open reservoirs mostly untapped by cinematic (or
"visual") art. There is a long sequence of guerillas in the jungle
near the end, whose radical means and spiritual dimension begin to
suggest what Steven Soderbergh recently persumably tried for, and
miserably failed to achieve in his two-part epic about Che (Guevara).
One of Diaz' fighters writes in his notebook: "I now realized the
lyrical madness to this struggle. It is all about sadness. It is about
my sadness. It is all about the sorrow of my people. I cannot
romanticize the futility of it all. Even the majestic beauty of this
island could not provide an answer to this hell. There is no cure to
this sadness." By bearing witness to this sadness, without simply
succumbing to it, by speaking out about to the woes of the world and
our times, Diaz offers a poetic approach that may be somewhat
disillusioned, yet is clearly driven by an unrelenting urge and a
refusal to give in, whether to the (mostly unwritten) laws of the
market, to the (obvious, but mostly circumscribed) failure of
politics, or to the (downplayed) worldwide decline of ideology,
solidarity and humanist values. As Robert Burton noted in "The Anatomy
of Melancholy" back in 1621: "All poets are mad." Lav Diaz may be one
of the maddest of them all.

Christoph Huber

Saturday, January 10, 2009

AURORA - UP Special Screening

Start:	Jan 19, '09 7:00p
End:	Jan 19, '09 10:00p
Location:	UP Cine Adarna, Quezon City, Philippines

"AURORA", the controversial independent film of Rosanna Roces, will have a special one-time screening at the U.P. Cine Adarna this January 19th, 7:30 p.m.

The film, directed by Adolfo Alix, Jr., was slapped with 2 "X" ratings from the Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) declaring it "unfit for public viewing."

"AURORA" is Roces' first film after La Vida Rosa (2001) which gave her the URIAN Best Actress award. In Aurora, she co-stars with Sid Lucero, who won Best Actor for Selda in the URIAN and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival; Kristofer King, who made waves with his acclaimed performances in Babae Sa Breakwater, Tirador, Serbis and Angeli Bayani who was adjudged Best Actress in the 10th CineManila International Film Festival for Melancholia.

SYNOPSIS:

The film is an intimate portrait of a captor and a captive as they both struggle to survive in the depths of a jungle.
A social worker named Aurora (Rosanna Roces) is kidnapped by members of the Lost Command. After a military raid in the middle of the night, she gets lost in the forest. She walks aimlessly in the thick forest, hoping to find her way out to freedom. She is found by Fadi (Sid Lucero), one of her captors. Aurora tries every way in order to run away. Will she see the break of dawn alive?

See the trailer:
http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=RW15Y4m-0fI

For ticket inquiries, please call the UP Film Institute at 926-3640.

"AURORA" - Trailer

Help us fight the battle against unjust censorship!

AURORA has been slapped twice by the MTRCB with an "X" rating. We're appealing the decision to Malacanang.

Cast:
Rosanna Roces, Sid Lucero, Kristofer King,
Angeli Bayani

Synopsis:
AURORA explores an intimate portrait of a captor and a captive as they both struggle to survive in the depths of a jungle.

A social worker named Aurora (Rosanna Roces) is kidnapped by members of the Lost Command. After a military raid in the middle of the night, she gets lost in the forest. She walks aimlessly in the thick forest, hoping to find her way out to freedom. She is found by Fadi (Sid Lucero), one of her captors. Aurora tries every way in order to run away. Will she see the break of dawn alive?

Written and Directed by Adolfo Alix, Jr.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

2008 CINEMA ONE ORIGINALS FILMFEST WINNERS

“Yanggaw” dominated the awards tally but the coming-of-age film “Imburnal” won Best Picture in the 2008 Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival Friday night.

The awarding ceremony, hosted by Bianca Gonzalez and Atom Araullo, was held at the Dolphy Theater of ABS-CBN.

Here is the list of winners this year:

Best Actor:
Marki Gil (Alon) tied with
Ronnie Lazaro (Yanggaw)

Best Actress:
Charee Pineda (Alon)

Best Supporting Actress:
Tetchie Agbayani (Yanggaw)

Best Supporting Actor:
Joel Torre (Yanggaw)

Best Director:
Richard Somes (Yanggaw)

Best Sound:
Joey Santos and Eduardo Velasquez (Yanggaw)

Best Editing:
Borgy Torre (Yanggaw)

Audience Choice:
Yanggaw

Best Screenplay:
Sherad Anthony Sanchez (Imburnal)

Best Cinematography:
J. Geolamen, Jose Fiola and John Torres (Imburnal)

Special Jury Prize:
Kolorete

Best Production Design:
Kolorete

Best Musical Score:
Leujim Martinez (Alon)

Best Picture:
Imburnal

The seven finalists, including the non-winning films like “Motorcyle”, “Dose” and “UPCAT”, will be screened at IndieSine, Robinsons Galleria, from December 3 to 10.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

DEKADA CINEMANILA WINNERS

thanks, gibbs. :)

++++++++++++++++++++

http://gibbscadiz.multiply.com/journal

YOUNG CINEMA: SHORTS & DOCS
Best Documentary: Marlon (Philippines) by Ralston Jover and James Amparo
Best Short Film: Tumbang Preso (Philippines) by Antoinette Jadaone
Ishmael Bernal Award: Surreal Random MMS Texts Para Ed Ina, Agui, Tan Kaamong Ya Makaiiliw Ed Sika: Gurgurlis Ed Banua [Surreal Random MMS Texts for a Mother, a Sister, and a Wife Who Longs For You: Landscape with Figures] (Philippines), by Christopher Gozum

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Lino Brocka Award-Grand Prize: The Band's Visit (Israel), by Eran Kolirin
Grand Jury Prize: The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela (Iceland/Philippines/France), by Olaf De Fleur Johannesson
Vic Silayan Award for Best Actor: Kenneth Moraleda for Lucky Miles (Australia)
Vic Silayan Award for Best Actress: Angeli Bayani for Melancholia (Philippines)

SOUTHEAST ASIA (SEA) FILM COMPETITION
Best SEA Short: Frou Frou... Shh, Wag Mong Sabihin Kay Itay (Philippines), by Michael Juat
Best SEA Film: Confessional (Philippines), by Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto
Best Actor: Mario Maurer for The Love of Siam (Thailand)
Best Actress: Anita Linda for Adela (Philippines)

DIGITAL LOKAL
Lino Grand Prize: Imburnal, by Sherad Anthony Sanchez
Lino Grand Jury Prize: Next Attraction, by Raya Martin
Best Actor: Carlo Aquino for Carnivore
Best Actress: Jodi Sta. Maria for Sisa
Best Director: Ato Bautista for Carnivore

UN MILLENNIUM DEV'T GOALS PRIZE
Lay-An, Candles Burning on Still Water, by Milo Tolentino

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Pete Lacaba, who wrote many of Lino Brocka's best-known works: Jaguar (1979), Bayan Ko (My Country, 1984) and Orapronobis (Fight for Us, 1989).

[The Cinemanila International Film Festival website here. For ticket reservations and updated screening schedules, call 9115555 or visit http://www.blogger.com/www.gatewaycineplex10.com]

Congratulations to all the winners! But especially to Angeli Bayani (Vic Silayan Best Actress awardee for Melancholia), a talented theater actress who's now making her mark in movies as well. Angeli, for some years a mainstay in Tanghalang Pilipino productions, has not been seen onstage lately; her last major role was as Queen Gertrude in Tony Mabesa's Hamlet Redux for Dulaang UP in 2006; last year, she also had a lead part in Ogie Braga's Virgin Labfest entry, Sa Pagdating ng Barbaro. It's clear that her recent focus on indie movies is paying off. Her subtle, unsettling portrayal of a woman torn apart by unrequited love in the 2006 full-length Cinemalaya entry, Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo, was praised by Nestor Torre and other critics. Angelí's gone from strength to strength with parts in other well-received indie releases (including Lav Diaz's latest film-a-thon, Death in the Land of Encantos), and now this--Cinemanila 2008 Best Actress, no less. Brava.

Call me biased, but another notable name in the winners' list: Mario Maurer, SEA Best

Actor for the gay coming-of-age film from Thailand, The Love of Siam (directed by Chukiat Sakweerakul). What a hottie, and quite a sensitive actor, too. Have you seen this film? Aysus, go, look for it in your favorite DVD stalls, or, failing that, in Torrent. Restrained, bittersweet and moving, and the two young leads--Maurer and Thai pop star Witwisit Hirunwongkul--are beautifully cast (trailer here). Saw this film on DVD while on a long-weekend outing with friends not too long ago, which meant it wasn't the usual staid movie-watching experience. At each of the film's high points we hooted and whooped it up, and, by the end credits, we were on our feet in a raucous ovation. Ah, nothing like watching faggy movies--good faggy movies--with fellow fags. But, really, you'd enjoy The Love of Siam, too, even if you are straight (or think you are--grin). You'd thank me for the recommendation.

A note on Cinemanila: On its 10th year, still as chaotic and ad hoc as ever, from the press events to the screenings and even its website. But, as film critic Noel Vera points out, “It's still hands down the best buffets of films, local and otherwise, available in Manila.” So we keep watching. Early rumors had it this edition would have Martin Scorsese as special guest. Not an impossibility, since Quentin Tarantino came by last year and rocked the town. But there was no Mr. Scorsese. Maybe Tikoy Aguiluz and company should have invited Mario Maurer instead. That woulda been da bomb, eh?

Monday, October 27, 2008

2008 DEKADA CINEMANILA AWARDEES

2008 DEKADA CINEMANILA AWARDEES :

YOUNG CINEMA: SHORTS & DOCS
(EDWIN, CHAIR; ARLEEN CUEVAS; TAN PIN PIN)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: MARLON (PHILIPPINES) BY RALSTON JOVER & JAMES AMPARO

We award the Best Documentary award to Marlon for giving a fresh look on the subject of blindness. We applaud the directors or their sharp eye for details, their patience and their restraint. They let the mundane details of the daily life of a poor blind boy speak to the audience directly but quietly… For trusting these details to resonate with the audience universally and ..for not exploiting a subject that could be easily exploited.

BEST SHORT FILM: TUMBANG PRESO (PHILIPPINES) BY ANTOINETTE JADAONE

We applaud the film Tumbang Preso for the clever use of one set of dialogue to contrast and parallel the world of Estong as a child and Estong as a grown-up. The director understands the short film medium and has the discipline to work within the limitations of it to produce a fun and very watchable short film.

ISHMAEL BERNAL AWARD: CHRISTOPHER GOZUM FOR SURREAL RANDOM MMS TEXTS PARA ED INA, AGUI, TAN KAAMONG YA MAKAIILIW ED SIKA : GURGURLIS ED BANUA (SURREAL RANDOM MMS TEXTS FOR A MOTHER, A SISTER, AND A WIFE WHO LONGS FOR YOU : LANDSCAPE WITH FIGURES) -

We found Christopher Gozum’s flm inspiring. He was able to combine the beauty of Carlos Bulasan’s poetry with minimalist and random images of LCD screens, daily life, creating rhythm light and sound from them to convey the longing and displacement of a Filipino working in the Middle East. Revelatory and humbling, we hope this award will encourage the director to continue his quest of mapping the human heart through film.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
(DR. BIENVENIDO LUMBERA, CHAIR; TANJA MEDING; PAOLO MINUTO)

LINO BROCKA AWARD GRAND PRIZE : THE BAND’S VISIT (ISRAEL) BY ERAN KOLIRIN

The Band’s Visit is about a military band from Egypt that inadvertently land in an out-of-the-way community in Israel on its way to give a performance elsewhere. The discomfiture of the strangers is treated with humor that turns the tale into a warmly human account of a poignant encounter between two cultures as the prim-and-proper band leader gradually opened up to the straightforward woman-shopkeeper hosting some of the band members for the night.

GRAND JURY PRIZE : THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA (ICELAND/PHILIPPINES/FRANCE) BY OLAF DE FLEUR JOHANNESSON

The film successfully combined fact and fiction to glimpse with respect and graciousness. The life story and aspiration of a ‘lady boy’ from Cebu who gets to realize his/her dream of seeing Paris, in the process allowing the viewers an insight into the heart and mind of its main character.

VIC SILAYAN AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR : KENNETH MORALEDA FOR LUCKY MILES (AUSTRALIA)

VIC SILAYAN AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS : ANGELI BAYANI FOR MELANCHOLIA (PHILIPPINES)

SEA FILM COMPETITION
(WONG TUCK CHEONG, CHAIR; KENNETH MORALEDA; ANNA CAPRI)

BEST SEA SHORT : FROU FROU…SHH WAG MONG SABIHIN KAY ITAY BY MICHAEL JUAT

Clever appropriation of cinematic, media and cultural clichés done with finely tuned comedy. uses a glossy exterior and high production values to deceptively comment of notions of artistic expression and satirises everything from a cynical but biting point of view.

BEST SEA FILM : CONFESSIONAL BY JERROLD TAROG & RUEL DAHIS ANTIPUESTO

Clever excecution of the mockumentary style to comment on the art of fimmaking, personal relationships, politics, and culture. The film was well orchestrated in the use of film making production elements to support a point of view and engage the audience. Showed great ability in amalgamting seemingly disparate elements to a cohesive whole.

BEST ACTOR : MARIO MAURER FOR LOVE OF SIAM (THAILAND)

Mature acting choices within a wide range of situations. Beneath a calm and placid external demeanor his performance he displayed a rich inner struggle dealing with emotional burdens, with family, friends, his social circle and his romantic and sexual awakening.

BEST ACTRESS : ANITA LINDA FOR ADELA (PHILIPPINES)

A beautifully understaed performance rich in emotional nuances. Showing an great reflective understanding of the relationships between the different characters within the film’s microcosm.

DIGITAL LOKAL
(LAV DIAZ, CHAIR; PIMPAKA TOWIRA)

LINO GRAND PRIZE : IMBURNAL BY SHERAD ANTHONY SANCHEZ

Water as the greatest metaphor on the lifeblood of the Filipino – this film earnestly shows the experience is both harrowing and poignant.

LINO GRAND JURY PRIZE : NEXT ATTRACTION BY RAYA MARTIN

It is a strongly structured film and Martin’s work is showing us a new path for cinematic language

BEST ACTOR : CARLO AQUINO FOR CARNIVORE

BEST ACTRESS : JODI STA. MARIA FOR SISA

BEST DIRECTOR : ATO BAUTISTA FOR CARNIVORE

UN MDGs PRIZE : LAY-AN, CANDLES BURNING ON STILL WATER BY ROMMEL TOLENTINO

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD : PETE LACABA

DEKADA CINEMANILA | 10th CINEMANILA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL | DEKADA CINEMANILA AWARDEES

http://www.cinemanila.org.ph/
2008 DEKADA CINEMANILA AWARDEES :

YOUNG CINEMA: SHORTS & DOCS
(EDWIN, CHAIR; ARLEEN CUEVAS; TAN PIN PIN)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: MARLON (PHILIPPINES) BY RALSTON JOVER & JAMES AMPARO

We award the Best Documentary award to Marlon for giving a fresh look on the subject of blindness. We applaud the directors or their sharp eye for details, their patience and their restraint. They let the mundane details of the daily life of a poor blind boy speak to the audience directly but quietly… For trusting these details to resonate with the audience universally and ..for not exploiting a subject that could be easily exploited.

BEST SHORT FILM: TUMBANG PRESO (PHILIPPINES) BY ANTOINETTE JADAONE

We applaud the film Tumbang Preso for the clever use of one set of dialogue to contrast and parallel the world of Estong as a child and Estong as a grown-up. The director understands the short film medium and has the discipline to work within the limitations of it to produce a fun and very watchable short film.

ISHMAEL BERNAL AWARD: CHRISTOPHER GOZUM FOR SURREAL RANDOM MMS TEXTS PARA ED INA, AGUI, TAN KAAMONG YA MAKAIILIW ED SIKA : GURGURLIS ED BANUA (SURREAL RANDOM MMS TEXTS FOR A MOTHER, A SISTER, AND A WIFE WHO LONGS FOR YOU : LANDSCAPE WITH FIGURES) -

We found Christopher Gozum’s flm inspiring. He was able to combine the beauty of Carlos Bulasan’s poetry with minimalist and random images of LCD screens, daily life, creating rhythm light and sound from them to convey the longing and displacement of a Filipino working in the Middle East. Revelatory and humbling, we hope this award will encourage the director to continue his quest of mapping the human heart through film.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
(DR. BIENVENIDO LUMBERA, CHAIR; TANJA MEDING; PAOLO MINUTO)

LINO BROCKA AWARD GRAND PRIZE : THE BAND’S VISIT (ISRAEL) BY ERAN KOLIRIN

The Band’s Visit is about a military band from Egypt that inadvertently land in an out-of-the-way community in Israel on its way to give a performance elsewhere. The discomfiture of the strangers is treated with humor that turns the tale into a warmly human account of a poignant encounter between two cultures as the prim-and-proper band leader gradually opened up to the straightforward woman-shopkeeper hosting some of the band members for the night.

GRAND JURY PRIZE : THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA (ICELAND/PHILIPPINES/FRANCE) BY OLAF DE FLEUR JOHANNESSON

The film successfully combined fact and fiction to glimpse with respect and graciousness. The life story and aspiration of a ‘lady boy’ from Cebu who gets to realize his/her dream of seeing Paris, in the process allowing the viewers an insight into the heart and mind of its main character.

VIC SILAYAN AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR : KENNETH MORALEDA FOR LUCKY MILES (AUSTRALIA)

VIC SILAYAN AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS : ANGELI BAYANI FOR MELANCHOLIA (PHILIPPINES)

SEA FILM COMPETITION
(WONG TUCK CHEONG, CHAIR; KENNETH MORALEDA; ANNA CAPRI)

BEST SEA SHORT : FROU FROU…SHH WAG MONG SABIHIN KAY ITAY BY MICHAEL JUAT

Clever appropriation of cinematic, media and cultural clichés done with finely tuned comedy. uses a glossy exterior and high production values to deceptively comment of notions of artistic expression and satirises everything from a cynical but biting point of view.

BEST SEA FILM : CONFESSIONAL BY JERROLD TAROG & RUEL DAHIS ANTIPUESTO

Clever excecution of the mockumentary style to comment on the art of fimmaking, personal relationships, politics, and culture. The film was well orchestrated in the use of film making production elements to support a point of view and engage the audience. Showed great ability in amalgamting seemingly disparate elements to a cohesive whole.

BEST ACTOR : MARIO MAURER FOR LOVE OF SIAM (THAILAND)

Mature acting choices within a wide range of situations. Beneath a calm and placid external demeanor his performance he displayed a rich inner struggle dealing with emotional burdens, with family, friends, his social circle and his romantic and sexual awakening.

BEST ACTRESS : ANITA LINDA FOR ADELA (PHILIPPINES)

A beautifully understaed performance rich in emotional nuances. Showing an great reflective understanding of the relationships between the different characters within the film’s microcosm.

DIGITAL LOKAL
(LAV DIAZ, CHAIR; PIMPAKA TOWIRA)

LINO GRAND PRIZE : IMBURNAL BY SHERAD ANTHONY SANCHEZ

Water as the greatest metaphor on the lifeblood of the Filipino – this film earnestly shows the experience is both harrowing and poignant.

LINO GRAND JURY PRIZE : NEXT ATTRACTION BY RAYA MARTIN

It is a strongly structured film and Martin’s work is showing us a new path for cinematic language

BEST ACTOR : CARLO AQUINO FOR CARNIVORE

BEST ACTRESS : JODI STA. MARIA FOR SISA

BEST DIRECTOR : ATO BAUTISTA FOR CARNIVORE

UN MDGs PRIZE : LAY-AN, CANDLES BURNING ON STILL WATER BY ROMMEL TOLENTINO

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD : PETE LACABA

Friday, September 12, 2008

8-HOUR RP FILM IS BEST FEATURE IN VENICE FESTIVAL

ORIZZONTI SIDEBAR
8-hour RP film is best feature in Venice Festival

By Ruben V. Nepales
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:51:00 09/08/2008

TORONTO—“Melancholia” by the Philippines’ Lav Diaz has won the Orizzonti prize for Best

Feature Film in the Venice Film Festival.

The 65th Venice film fest, which ran from Aug. 27 to Sept. 6, has an Orizzonti or New

Horizons section that has for the past four years focused on the latest trends in cinema

suspended between fiction and documentary.

“Melancholia,” which had the honor of closing the Orizzonti sidebar of the Venice film

fest, runs almost eight hours. The Orizzonti decided to screen the film with two breaks.

Noted as the Filipino auteur of epic-length films, Diaz has consistently done films that

are over five hours in running time.

The Philippines was also represented in the Orizzonti by Francis Xavier E. Pasion’s “Jay,”

which officially opened the Orizzonti on Aug. 29.

In the age of MTV, Diaz’s marathon films are considered an oddity. He is one of the very

few directors in the world who make films that run as long as, or longer than, most

people’s work days.

Diaz’s “Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino,” shot in the United States, clocks in at a

staggering 10 hours plus.

“Death in the Land of Encantos,” which also closed Orizzonti last year, is nine hours

long. Perhaps not meaning to allude to the length of his entry, Diaz exclaimed, “Long live

Philippine cinema!” in his acceptance speech at the awards night last year when “Encantos”

won a Special Mention prize.

Diaz previously told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the Venice film festival would

screen his entry with two breaks. “The programmers requested for two breaks,” he said.

“OK lang. Ayoko sana pero mapilit sila (I was unwilling at first but they were very

persuasive). My films are really meant to be seen in one sitting para may tamang (so

there’s just the right amount of) immersion. There were no breaks during the screening of

‘Encantos’ last year. People who really follow my work do not like breaks. But I do

understand the concerns of the programmers. They want the audience to be comfortable. Who

can argue with comfort?”

Sadness, madness

“Melancholia,” according to Diaz, asks the following questions: “Why is there so much

sadness and too much madness in this world? Is happiness just a concept? Is living just a

process to measure man’s pain?”

Diaz recalled what was memorable about the marathon screening of “Encantos” last year:

“Besides the sight of people bringing food and other ‘tools’ to prepare for the experience

or battle, one really interesting incident was when a young man, in his early 20s, came to

me after the showing of ‘Encantos.’ Almost in tears, he told me that he is a Filipino who

has never been to the islands, that he became really a Filipino after watching the film,

and that he wanted to go ‘home.’”

The prolific filmmaker also said: “The advantage of having my films closing the Orizzonti

is that I have more room or time to edit the film. I have this nasty habit of shooting and

shooting until I realize that the deadline is right [there] in front of my door. The

disadvantage, of course, is that when it’s closing time, that means more than half of the

festival attendees have left by then.”

Exposure

The Cotabato native wanted to bring seven people from the cast and crew to the Venice film

fest held on the island of Lido but was allowed to bring only three from his cast and crew

after his meeting with the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

He shared the triumph in Venice with Angeli Bayani (actress), Perry Dizon (actor) and

Kristine Kintana (production supervisor).

Diaz had hoped to bring Roeder (actor), Dante Perez (actor/production designer), Jay

Ramirez (technical supervisor) and Emman dela Cruz (actor/documentarian).

“I tried to bring all these people for the exposure and the workshop,” he explained.

“It’s not really healthy that only the director and producer go to the festivals. We need

to expose our people para lumawak ang kamalayan, para mas may tamang cultural interaction

man lang (to widen their consciousness, to experience cultural interaction), or simply, to

[enhance] their film education. Festivals are great venues for this.”

Opening up to Pinoy films

Diaz added: “Having two Filipino films at this year’s Venice film fest is a great sign,”

referring to the Venice event’s inclusion of “Melancholia” and “Jay” in its “Orizzonti”

sidebar.

“Nagbubukas na talaga sila (They are opening up to Filipino films).”
The director, whose full name is Lavrente Indico Diaz, described how digital technology

has energized Philippine cinema.

“The technology liberated cinema. The deluge of new work, especially from very young and

talented filmmakers like Francis Pasion, is a direct result of this. Liberation is the

vision of all revolutions. Finally, art is not feudal, as shown by the digital

revolution,” he said.

RP FILM WINS IN VENICE FEST

RP film wins in Venice fest
By Ricky Lo
Monday, September 8, 2008

Lav Diaz’s Melancholia won the Best Film Award in the Orizzonti Section of the 65th Venice

International Film Festival which ended Saturday.

This piece of good news was relayed to The STAR by Funfare’s Toronto-based “international

correspondent” Ferdinand Lapuz who is a member of the Philippine delegation to the

filmfest in his capacity as producer of Jay, the other Filipino film which competed in the

same section.

According to a report from Venice, the decision of the Orizzonti Jury (composed of

Chantal, president; Nicole Brenez, Barbara Cupisti, Jose Luis Guerin, and Veiko Ounpuu)

was unanimous.

The three runners-up are:
• Below Sea Level by Gianfranco Rosi (Italy/USA), Doc Prize;

• Un Lac by Philippe Grandrieux (France), Special Mention; and

• Wo Men (We) by Huang Wenhai (China/Switzerland), also Special Mention.

No Filipino film competed for the Golden Lion, the top prize in the Main Section which was

won by The Wrestler (USA), directed by Darren Aronofsky; and Russia’s Paper Soldier,

directed by Aleksey German Jr., placing second (Silver Lion).

Chosen as closing film of the filmfest, Melancholia, which runs for almost eight hours and

shot in various places in the Philippines, tries to explore the question of why there’s

“so much sadness and so much madness” in this world, in the end finding no answer at all.

It stars Angeli Bayani, Perry Dizon, Roeder Camanag, Raul Arellano, Dante Perez, Malaya

and Soliman Cruz.

It’s the second time for Diaz to have won an award at the VIFF. Last year, he won a

Special Mention award for his nine-hour film Kagadanan Sa Banwaan Ning Mga Engkanto (Death

in the Land of Enkantos) which depicts the death and desolation of the Bicol region after

a killer typhoon.

“The Venice International Film Festival shouldn’t be confused with the Venice Film

Festival (take note: No ‘international’), also in Italy, and another Venice Film Festival

in the US,” said lawyer-producer Joji Alonso who is well-versed about international film

festivals because some of her films, including Kubrador (directed by Jeffrey Jeturian),

have won awards abroad.

The Venice International Film Festival was initially known as D Mostra Internazionale d’

Arte Cinematografica di Venezia.

Meanwhile, the Baron Geisler-starrer Jay, directed by Francis Xavier Pasion, was initially

intended for the Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Debut Film but it qualified for the

Orizzonti, which is a bigger section.

Born in 1958 in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, an island in Mindanao, Diaz is recognized as

“the ideological father of the New Philippine Film Movement,” noted for making films that

run for hours, also including Batang West Side (2002), Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang

Pilipino (2005) and Heremias subtitled Ikalawang Alkat: Ang Alamat ng Prinsesang Bayawak

(2006).

VENEZIA!

Saturday, August 30, 2008

ANITA LINDA GOES TO HER 1ST INTERNATIONAL FILMFEST

http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=107&a=29716
Anita Linda goes to her first international film fest
LOS ANGELES - Anita Linda is “very nervous and at the same time, very happy to be with us to present ‘Adela’ in Toronto,” director Adolfo Alix Jr. recently told us via e-mail about his and the actress’ attendance in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). “It’s her first trip to an international film festival, so we hope she enjoys it. We also plan to take her to other film fests where ‘Adela’ will be screened this year.”
Fil-Canadians and cineastes can check out Alix’’s film starring Anita playing a woman whose solitary observance of her 80th birthday leads to a reflection on family, society and relationships, on Saturday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m. at AMC 9; Sunday, Sept. 7, 9:15 p.m. at AMC 2, and Saturday, Sept. 13, 3 p.m. at AMC 1.

The three As—Anita (who’s 83 in real life), Adolfo and producer Arleen Cuevas, who will be in Toronto from Sept. 4 to 9—will grace the first two screenings of “Adela,” which is part of the Contemporary World Cinema program. “Our sales agent, Ryan Kampe and Sylvain Tron of Visit Films, will also be there,” Adolfo volunteered.

Rewarding experience

“I’m very excited to see how people would respond to ‘Adela,’” the 29-year-old writer-director enthused. “It’s a special film for me because working on it was a very rewarding experience for everybody. Having Anita Linda as our lead actress was truly a pleasure. It’s our tribute film to her. When Noel Ferrer, Arleen and I decided to do this movie, we felt that Tita Alice (Anita) deserved a film that would show her at her best. She has been part of the industry for a long time. She worked with the country’s best directors—Lamberto Avellana, Gerry de Leon, Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal. As a young director, It was a learning experience to work with a legend like her.”

“Adela” also stars Iza Calzado (who was shooting Yam Laranas’ “The Echo” in Toronto during the TIFF last year), Perla Bautista, Ricky Davao, Angeli Bayani, Joem Bascon, Jason Abalos, Kenneth Ocampo and Arnold Reyes. The film is the seventh feature from the prolific filmmaker since his debut feature, “Donsol,” which was screened in various film festivals and was the Philippines’ official entry in the 2007 Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film category. Since 2006, Adolfo also directed “Kadin,” “Tambolista,” “Nars,” “Batanes” and “Daybreak.”

Of his first participation in what has grown to become one of the world’s major festivals, the Makati native said, “We’re happy to have the international premiere of ‘Adela’ at the TIFF after opening the 2008 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. It’s my first time to have a movie screened in Toronto, although as a scriptwriter, two of my films were featured there before—Carlos Siguion-Reyna’s ‘Kahapon May Dalawang Bata’ in 1999 (which was one of the winners in the festival’s People’s Choice Awards) and Gil Portes’ ‘Mga Munting Tinig’ in 2002.”

Adolfo, a magna cum laude graduate with a degree in mass communications from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, shared that he’s also looking forward to watching films in the Canadian event.

On the late Lino Brocka’s “Bayan Ko: Kapit Sa Patalim” being featured in the TIFF’s “Dialogue: Talking With Pictures” program, Adolfo said: “I think every Filipino filmmaker looks up to Brocka. He paved the way for the rest of us. I admire the honesty of his films and how he cared for the welfare of everybody on the set, as well as those in the film industry. He fought for what he believed in.” Another Pinoy director highlighted in the TIFF is Dante Mendoza, whose “Serbis” is an official selection in the Vanguard program.

Tribute

Adolfo revealed his own cinematic tribute to Brocka: “Right now, we’re in production of ‘Manila,’ a twin bill I’m doing with Raya Martin, which is inspired by Ishmael Bernal’s ‘Manila by Night’ and Brocka’s ‘Jaguar.’ Both stories will be topbilled by Piolo Pascual. I’m doing the re-telling of ‘Jaguar.’ I saw some of Brocka’s films before I started working on the project, and I felt that his best works—including ‘Bayan Ko’—are truly timeless. The issues he tackled then are still relevant now. He made simple films, but their messages still ring loud and clear!”

(inquirer.net)

2 BREAKS FOR VENICE SCREENING OF EIGHT-HOUR FILM BY LAV DIAZ

Only in Hollywood

2 breaks for Venice screening of eight-hour film by Lav Diaz

By Ruben V. Nepales
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:11:00 08/28/2008

LOS ANGELES — Living up to his reputation as the Filipino auteur of epic-length films, Lav Diaz told us via e-mail that his “Melancholia,” which closes the Orizzonti (Horizons) sidebar of the ongoing Venice Film Festival on Sept. 6, runs almost eight hours. The Orizzonti folks have decided to screen the film with two breaks.

“Melancholia” is scheduled to have its press screenings today and tomorrow while Francis Xavier E. Pasion’s “Jay” officially opens Orizzonti also today. Francis told us that he, “Jay” lead actor Baron Geisler and actor-cinematographer Carlo Mendoza will wear barong. “Jay” was shown to the media yesterday.

In this age of instant gratification, when our attention span is getting shorter, and where everything has to go faster, Lav’s marathon films are an oddity. He is one of the very few directors in the world who make films that run as long as, or longer than, most people’s workdays. These days, any film that runs longer than two hours is already considered long. So most people’s jaws drop when we tell them about Lav and his films which usually last eight or nine hours or even longer. His “Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino” clocks in at a staggering 10 hours plus.

“Five hours lang ang ‘Batang West Side,’” the long-haired filmmaker, who turns 50 in December, wrote about his New Jersey-shot movie in one of his e-mails. Note the “lang.”

Lav’s “Death in the Land of Encantos,” which also closed Orizzonti last year and won a Special Mention prize, is nine hours long. Perhaps not meaning to allude to the length of his entry, Lav exclaimed “Long live Philippine cinema!” in his acceptance speech at the awards night.

So we asked Lav if the Venice film fest (Mostra Internationale d’Arte Cinematografica, in Italian) will screen his entry with breaks this time around. “The programmers requested for two breaks,” he answered. “Okay lang. Ayoko sana pero mapilit sila. My films are really meant to be seen in one sitting para may tamang immersion. There were no breaks during the screening of ‘Encantos’ last year. People who really follow my work do not like breaks. But I do understand the concerns of the programmers. They want the audience to be comfortable. Who can argue with comfort, man?”

Questions raised

It probably does take eight hours to answer the following questions which are raised in “Melancholia,” according to its creator: “Why is there so much sadness and too much madness in this world? Is happiness just a concept? Is living just a process to measure man’s pain?”

When we asked what was memorable about the marathon screening last year, the prolific filmmaker replied, “Besides the sight of people bringing food and other ‘tools’ to prepare for the experience or battle, one really interesting incident was when a young man, in his early twenties, came to me after the showing of ‘Encantos.’ Almost in tears, he told me that he is a Filipino who has never been to the islands, that he became really a Filipino after watching the film, and that he wants to go ‘home.’”

As for the plus or minus side of having the closing entry, Lav said, “The advantage of having my films closing the Orizzonti is that I have more room or time to edit the film. I have this nasty habit of shooting and shooting until I would realize that the deadline is right in front of my door. The disadvantage, of course, is that when it’s closing time, that means more than half of the festival attendees have left by then.”

Film delegation

The Cotabato native wanted to bring seven from the cast and crew to the festival on the Lido but as we write this, he informed us of the latest development after his meeting with the Film Development Council of the Philippines: “May tiket na kami ng eroplano. Tatlo ang inaprubahang lilipad. Nakiusap ako na magdagdag pa ng isa. Heto ang lineup—ako, Angeli Bayani (actress), Perry Dizon (actor) at Kristine Kintana (production supervisor). Nag-sorry ako sa iba. We decided na i-divide na lang, sa ibang festivals naman ang iba.” The “Melancholia” delegation leaves Manila on Sept. 3 and will be in Venice until Sept. 7.

Lav had hoped to also bring Roeder (actor), Dante Perez (actor/production designer), Jay Ramirez (technical supervisor) and Emman dela Cruz (actor/documentarian). “I tried to bring all this people para exposure at workshop nila,” he explained. “It’s not really healthy na director at producer lang ang pumupunta sa festivals. We need to expose our people para lumawak ang kamalayan, para mas may tamang cultural interaction man lang, or simply, an extension of their film education. Festivals are great venues for this.”

“Having two Filipino films for this year’s Mostra is a great sign,” he said of the Venice event’s inclusion of “Melancholia” and “Jay” in its “Orizzonti” sidebar. “Nagbubukas na talaga sila.”

No television

He added, “I haven’t seen ‘Jay.’ I want to watch it. I learned it has a very intriguing subject — television documentary programming, how it is done. I’ve worked with television before. I hate TV. It’s a f***ing poison to the soul. Wala akong telebisyon mula pa noong 1992. My house in New York and here in Manila have no television.”

The director, whose full name is Lavrente Indico Diaz, said of his colleague, “I’ve seen Francis once or twice before pero di ko siya nakakausap. We visited the Italian embassy and had a meeting with critic/programmer Paolo Bertolin and Italian consul Emanuela Dasini a week after the news (of our films being selected to the Orizzonti) was announced. Doon ko lang siya nakausap.”

When we asked him how digital technology has energized Philippine cinema, he replied that it “liberated cinema. The deluge of new work, especially from very young and talented filmmakers like Francis Pasion, is a direct result of this. Liberation is the vision of all revolutions. Finally, art is not feudal, as shown by the digital revolution.”

Since their trip to Italy’s famed travel spot is short, Lav said that he and his group will “try to watch and watch films. But then our stay is really short. Five days lang kung pati biyahe. What can you do in three days? Maybe visit the spot where Thomas Mann wrote ‘Death in Venice.’ It’s right there at the Lido.”

Best joke

When he returns to Manila, Lav plans “to do the preproduction for my film on Gregoria de Jesus, the wife of the great Filipino, Andres Bonifacio. Or, shoot another film. Everything is organic.” We bet that whatever he decides to shoot next, it will run longer than two hours.

We prodded Lav to volunteer the best joke that he has heard about his propensity to make long films. He answered, “Somebody said, ‘Everything is long with Lav.’”

Long live Philippine cinema and its current crop of auteurs, indeed!

E-mail the columnist at rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com and read his blog, “The Nepales Report,” on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

2 RP FILMS TO OPEN, CLOSE VENICE FILM FEST

LOS ANGELES—Two Filipino films will open and close the Orizzonti (Horizons) sidebar section of the Venice Film Festival, one of the most prestigious international film festivals and known as the world’s oldest.

Lav Diaz’s “Melancholia” and Francis Xavier E. Pasion’s “Jay” have been invited as official selections in the Venice event, which runs from Aug. 27 to Sept. 6.

Pasion’s participation also marks the first time that a debut work by a filmmaker from the Philippines screens at the festival on the Lido.

“Jay” will screen as the first feature in competition on Friday, Aug. 29, while “Melancholia” will close the competition on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Diaz, who is closing the Orizzonti two years in a row, is known for his audacious, marathon films such as “Batang Westside” and “Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino.” He got the distinction last year with his entry in the sidebar’s documentary section, “Kagadanan sa banwaan ning mga Engkanto” (“Death in the Land of Encantos”).”

This time, Diaz is in competition in the narrative category. The Venice screening marks “Melancholia’s” world premiere.

Diaz won the Orizzonti’s Special Mention prize last year for “Kagadanan sa banwaan ning mga Engkanto,” which runs for nine hours.

Madness in this world

“Long live Philippine cinema!” Diaz proclaimed in his acceptance speech at the awards night in 2007. “In spite of all the madness in this world, it’s still a nice place to live in. We still have cinema ... we have the Venice Film Festival. I would like to thank all the people who worked so hard for this film for nine months.”

Pasion’s debut feature, “Jay,” recently won the Best Full-Length Feature Film in the 4th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. Baron Geisler, who plays a gay television reporter in the film, took the Best Actor plum.

Paolo Bertolin, who is in the selection committee of the Venice Film Festival, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer via e-mail, “We in the selecting committee were all enthusiastic with the two Filipino entries we selected. Just to give you a measure of this, we invited ‘Jay’ as soon as all the members had seen the film, way before the announcement of the Cinemalaya awards.

“‘Jay’ is also one of only two films that were invited to the Horizon sidebar despite not being a world premiere (the other being a Russian film that premiered in another festival in June).”

Bertolin explained why the committee liked the two Filipino films: “‘Melancholia’ proves once again the enrapturing and mesmerizing power of Lav Diaz’s cinema, a spell that captures you from the very first frames and carries you throughout the film’s fluvial length (this new feature clocks in at almost eight hours), by enveloping the viewer in political dramas of great emotional and lyrical resonance. We admired ‘Jay’ for its skillful construction of the script and mise-en-scène, its ability to question the nature of images in an often hilarious yet always thought-provoking manner. The film is a very convincing and promising debut for newcomer Francis Pasion.”

Named as members of the international jury of the Orizzonti, where “Melancholia” and “Jay” will compete with other entries from around the world, are Chantal Akerman (president), Nicole Brenez, Barbara Cupisti, José Luis Guerin and Veiko Õunpuu.

Last year, Diaz and the cast of “Kagadanan sa banwaan ning mga Engkanto,” including Roeder, Perry Dizon, Amalia Virtucio and production supervisor Laurel Penaranda walked on the festival’s red carpet prior to their entry’s official screening.

‘It’s really cool’

“Wow, man,” Diaz reacted to the news of another film of his making it again to the Venice Film Festival. “I don’t know what to say,” he told the Inquirer via e-mail. “It’s really cool, especially for Philippine cinema. A lot of people really worked hard on this film. Five got sick in Sagada. The heavy rains of Laguna destroyed my camera.

“We’ll try to get some travel grants from the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the NCCA to be able to go,” Diaz added.

“Melancholia” stars Angeli Bayani, Perry Dizon, Roeder Camanag, Raul Arellano, Dante Perez, Malaya and Soliman Cruz.

Diaz, a true Filipino film auteur, has direction, cinematography, screenplay and editing credits in the film which is a production of Sine Olivia Pilipinas. He shares music credits with The Brockas.

Diaz said he was grateful to his crew, which includes Kristine Kintana, Nina Dandan, Dante Perez, George Vibar, Sultan Diaz, Willy Fernandez, Joel Ferrer and Jay Ramirez.

Diaz wrote that his movie asked the following questions: “Why is there so much sadness and too much madness in this world? Is happiness just a concept? Is living just a process to measure man’s pain?”

Synopsis

He provided the following synopsis: “Alberta, Julian and Rina struggle hard to find answers to those questions. To be able to fight pain, they assume different personas as a coping exercise. Julian still listens to the voice/songs of his dead wife; Alberta is still looking for the body of her husband; Rina eventually gives up.

“Deep in the forest of a desolate island, Renato and his comrades fight fiercely the military machine that has pursued them relentlessly. They are trapped. In his notebook, Renato writes: ‘I now realized the lyrical madness to this struggle. It is all about sadness. It is about my sadness. It is about the sorrow of my people. I cannot romanticize the futility of it all. Even the majestic beauty of this island could not provide an answer to this hell. There is no cure to this sadness.’”

“Burn After Reading,” written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, who wrote and directed “No Country for Old Men,” which won the 2007 Oscar award for Best Picture, opens the main part of the Venice festival. The members of the jury in the main competition are Wim Wenders (president), Juriy Arabov, Valeria Golino, Douglas Gordon, John Landis, Lucrecia Martel and Johnnie To.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

The 10 Best Filipino Independent Films for 2008

Visit YFMP multiply: http://youngfilmmakers.multiply.com/

The 10 Best Filipino Independent Films for 2008

The Young Filmmakers of the Philippines (YFMP), a group of young filmmakers from different colleges and universities names the 10 best Filipino independent films for 2007. Our criteria for selecting the best films are the quality of the screenplay and the subject matter. We look for something new. The script should be somewhat unconventional and unpredictable. The film depicts Filipino historical and/or cultural values and exemplified artistry, creativity, technical excellence, innovativeness and thematic values.

Also acknowledged were Filipino independent Filmmakers through hard work and dedication filmmakers have proven that this country, which was once a filmic cul-de-sac, when given the right opportunity, now produces some of the world's finest films, responsive to the genuine needs and aspirations of its people.

YFMP announced the 10 Best Filipino Independent Films (in alphabetical order)
by Donna Villanueva

In Alphabetical Order:

1. Ala Swerte Ala Muerte 2007

Cast: Ana Capri, Maris Dimayuga, Perry Escaño and Menggie Cobbarubias

Director: Briccio Santos

Screenwriter: Jorge Arago, Briccio Santos

Cinematographer: Steve Sagun, Briccio Santos

Editor: Anil Rao

Festival: 9^th Cinemanila Fim Festival Finalist,

Winner Best Actress Ana Capri & Maris Dimayuga

Synopsis :

Jessica is a young widowwith a four-year-old son, Manolito, who lives with her in a crowded boarding house. They share a room with Linda, who dreams of being released from bondage to poverty by getting paid in dollars as an overseas contract worker in Europe , but who is desperately looking for work in the city in the meantime. This situation conveniently provides Jessica with an amah, to free her for work and not have to be shackled to the chores created by an only child's growing up pains. When the boy disappears one day whilst under Linda's care, the world starts to collapse for both Jessicand Linda. The mother's longing for a son who has disappeared from view, carrying only his late father's name. Such is the fate the mother and child has to endure.

2. Confessional

Cast: Publio Briones III, David Barril, Greg Fernandez, Owee Salva, Donna Gimeno

Director: Jerold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto

Screenwriter: Ramon Ukit

Cinematographer: Ruel Dahis Antipuesto

Editor: Pats Ranyo

Music Jerold Tarog with Arodasi

Winner: 2007 Cinema One Best Picture, Best Screenplay,Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Supporting Actors, Star Cinema Special Award

Ryan Pastor knows this by heart. As a small time filmmaker, he knows howsound and images can be manipulated to say anything. And he's tired of the lies—the lies at work, in his relationships, the lies one must keep in society just to exist. On a whim, he decides to go to Cebu to document the Sinulog festival. There he stumbles upon a truth he didn't ask for and is reluctant to touch. One of his subjects, a former politician who may or may not be dying, decides to confess his sins—all the crimes he committed while in office—before Ryan’s Camera,that follows is a story of revelations and bitter truths, of buried secrets and sweet lies. CONFESSIONAL takes you to the heart of a criminal...or an honest man.

3. Death in the Land of Encantos

Cast: Roeder Camañag, Perry Dizon, Kalila Aguilos and Angeli Bayani

Director: Lav Diaz

Screenwriter: Lav Diaz

Cinematographer: Lav Diaz

Editor: Lav Diaz

Music: Lav Diaz

Production Design: Lav Diaz & Dante Perez

Festival:

2007 Venice Film Festival

Winner Venice Horizons Award Special Mention

2008 YCC Winner Best Achievement in Cinematography and Visual Design
YCC Winner in Production Design

Synopsis:

A Filipino poet named Benjamin Agusan (Roeder Camanag) is the hapless native who returns to his hometown Padang to witness the aftermath of the super typhoon. For the past seven years, Benjamin had been living in an old town called Kaluga in Russia . With his grant and residency, he taught and conducted workshops in a university. The poet published two books of sadness and longing in the process. In Russia , Benjamin was able to shoot video collages, fell in love with a Slavic beauty, buried a son, and almost went mad. He came back to bury his dead-father, mother, sister and a lover. He came back to face Mount Mayon , the raging beauty and muse of his youth. He came home to confront the country that he so loved and hated, the Philippines . He came back to die in the land of his birth. He wanders around the obliterated village meeting old friends and lovers.

4. Endo

Cast: Ina Feleo, Jason Abalos, Alcris Galura & Ricky Davao

Director: Jade Castro

Screenwriter: Michiko Yamamoto & Raymond Lee

Cinematographer: Wowie Hao

Editor: J.D. Domingo

Music: Owel Alvero

Production Design: Jhek Cogama

Festival:

Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival Finalist

Winner Best Actress & Special Jury Prize Feature Length

Golden Screen Awards, Philippines

Winner Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Young Critics Circle, Philippines

Winner Best Achievement in Film Editing, Best Achievement in Sound and Aural Orchestration & Best Performance by Male or Female, Adult or Child, Individual or Ensemble in Leading or Supporting Role

Foster Child

Cast: Cherry Pie Picache, Eugene Domingo, Dan Alvaro and Jiro Manio

Director: Brilliante Mendoza

Screenwriter: Joel Jover & Ralston Jover

Cinematographer: Odyssey Flores

Editor: Charliebebs Gohetia

Music: Jerrold Tarog

Production Design: Benjamin Padero

Festival:

Winner 2008 Golden Screen Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role

Winner Las Palmas Film Festival SIGNIS Award

Winner Young Critics Circle, Philippines Best Film and Best Screenplay

Synopsis:

A drama centered on the state of foster care in the Philippines.

6. Haw-Ang

Cast: Kalila Aguilos, Neil Ryan Sese, Racquel Reyes & Dacmay Tangliban

Director: Bong Ramos

Screenwriter: Bong Ramos

Cinematographer: Vincent Paul Pangan

Editor: Rona Lean Sales

Synopsis:

Set in the majestic rice terraces, Haw-Ang (English title: Before Harvest) is an indie film advocating children's right to quality education, empowerment of women, and welfare of our indigenous countrymen. It tells the story of Sister Adel, a light-hearted young nun who goes to a farming village in Ifugao to teach catechism and eventually build a schoolhouse. As she breaks the traditions of the tribe, she makes a big difference in the little lives of its people, especially that of Dacmay, a seven-year-old rowdy girl in search of her lost mother's love. At the same time, Sister Adel finally discovers her real mission in life. This is a poignant story of friendship and love that transcends age, culture, and belief. A tale that is at times comic and inevitably tragic, this is a film about being a woman, and more importantly, being human. It all begins at the time of preparing rice paddies for planting, in that season of hopes and dreams called "haw-ang."

Kadin

Cast: Monica Joy Camarillas, Rico Mark Cardona, Florencia Cardona

Director: Adolfo Alix Jr.

Screenwriter: Adolfo Alix Jr.

Cinematographer: Rodolfo Aves Jr.

Editor: Aleks Castañeda

Music: Jerrold Tarog

Production Design: Herwin Alfaro

Festival:

2007 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival Finalist

Winner Best Cinematography & Best Original Music Score

Winner Golden Screen Awards, Philippines Best Sound

Synopsis:

Peping wakes up to find out that Gima, their goat, is missing. His family make a living out of the milk provided the goat. He hides the truth from his grandmother. His father is also arriving the next day so he needs to find Gima before its too late. Together with his younger sister, Lita, the two go on a seemingly impossible search for the goat in the landscape of the island of Sabtang , in Batanes. A series of frustrating episodes mark the day, tension and desperation growing as natural and human forces conspire to frustrate them at every turn. The odyssey teaches the boy about the true meaning of life- where kindness and cruelty can be found in close proximity.

Pisay

Cast: Eugene Domingo, Arnold Reyes, Elijah Castillo & Carl John Barrameda

Director: Auraeus Solito

Screenwriter: Auraeus Solito & Henry Grageda

Cinematographer: Charlie Peralta

Editor: Mikael Pestaño & Auraeus Solito

Music: Jobin Ballesteros Irwin Cafugauan Vincent de Jesus

Production Design: Endi Balbuena , Dante Nico Garcia , Martin Masadao ,

Reggie Regalado

Festival:

Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival Finalist

Winner Best Feature Length & Best Director (Feature Length)

Golden Screen Awards, Philippines

Winner Best Director, Best Editing, Best Motion Picture, Best Musical Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role & Best Production Design

2008 Vesoul Asian Film Festival

Winner Audience Award & Grand Prize of the International Jury

Synopsis:

Amidst the chaos of Martial Law in this Third World country in the 1980s, six teenagers in the top high school for the sciences discover themselves as they go through the joys and pains of adolescence. They were the top two hundred students from all over the Philippines who passed the examination for the Philippine Science High School, which was created for the purpose of giving an education highly enriched in the Sciences to exceptionally gifted Filipino children. Selected from the best and brightest from all over the country, they endure college-level courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics from their sophomore year onwards. Those who can make it are hailed as the future science and technology leaders of the New Republic, those who don't are deemed unfortunate victims of natural selection. They all learn however that they are neither isolated from the real world, nor are they exempted from living real lives. They find the world outside, erupting into the People Power revolution in 1986 against the Marcos dictatorship, being replicated within the school as they struggle to graduate, contend with teachers, classmates, family, school officials, and a new classification to segregate students meeting the high standards of excellence from those who do not.